


No Light, No Light

by jscribbles



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-09
Updated: 2013-04-09
Packaged: 2017-12-07 23:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/754242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jscribbles/pseuds/jscribbles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crowley's created a new weapon that's about to alter the lives of Team Free Will.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Light, No Light

**Title:** No Light, No Light  
 **Genre:** Angst  
 **Characters:** Sam, Dean, Cas, Crowley (Gen)  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Warning:** Character death. Blood loss. Canon-like levels of violence. Unbeta'd.  
 **Spoilers** : Season 1-6 and contains one quote from Season 7.  
 **A/N:** Title from 'No Light, No Light' by Florence and the Machine. This started out as a Dean/Cas fic but slowly became gen as I wrote more of it. I wrote this to fill my "Blood Loss" square on my hc_bingo card. Also, I strong believe Sam grabbed the Samulet from the garbage can back in season 5. In this story, we can assume he gave it back to Dean.  
 **Summary:** Crowley's created a new weapon that's about to alter the lives of Team Free Will.  
 **Disclaimer:** I made no profit from this. Any names you recognize are not mine. Supernatural and it's lovely characters belong to the CW and WB. The italicized quote is from Reading Is Fundamental (7.21) of Supernatural.

  
  
\- - -

Dean and Sam had seen Castiel get shot before. Several times, actually. It never seemed to matter though. Usually Cas smirked it off, fixing his assailant with fierce glittering eyes and reciprocating with a deadly counter attack. Perhaps it was insensitive of them, but it had gotten to the point where holes in Castiel's vessel were non-issues. Hell, both Winchester brothers had stabbed him at one point or another. Both times Castiel had brushed it aside, barely giving the assault a second thought. Dean never got tired of Castiel flashing an all knowing half-grin whenever his vessel was damaged in any measly human way.

This time was no different. When Crowley pointed a gun at Castiel, the angel's lips quirked up at the corner, his head tilting forward slightly as if to ask Crowley whether or not he'd lost his mind. But the bang went off, the gun flashed at the end, and there was a wet sound of metal piercing human flesh. Cas jerked, as if his legs were unsteady, but he remained standing. From behind him, Dean let out a bark of laughter.

In response, Crowley released a string of three more shots, each to Castiel's middle. Then he stopped and flashed a smirk of his own. He lowered his gun and raised his free hand, curling his finger, beckoning his demon followers back. Smoothly, he drawled, “Back off, boys. We're finished here.”

The four demons he had sicced on the boys stood up straight, their black eyes flashing. Dean and Sam stayed poised though, demon knife and salt-round loaded guns raised, ready to go down swinging if Crowley and his minions tried to pull a fast one. But they disappeared. Crowley remained, staring at Castiel with eyes so lively it was starting to be unsettling.

“Finished?” barked Dean, “We haven't even gotten started, you smarmy bastard.”

Crowley seemed to have trouble tearing his gaze from Castiel, but he managed to fix Dean with a pleased expression. “You may not be, but Cassie here is pretty finished.”

Dean took a step towards Cas, who – now that Dean noticed – was swaying on the spot. “Cas, you alright?”

Castiel responded by dropping to his knees so quickly he seemed to blur. Dean jolted forward and Sam let out a panicked sound, the gun in his hands now raised between Crowley's eyes. The demon stared down the gun at Sam, the glee apparent on his every feature.

As Dean jolted forward, he slipped his arms under Cas', holding him up before he could pitch forward. One arm went to reach around his waist, but his hand was met with a warm, slippery realization. Cas leaned back towards him and made a sound that affected Dean so profoundly his hands began to shake. Dean raised a hand away from them, staring at it in horror.

Dean's hand dripped blood, his palm smeared in red. Startled, his frightened expression met Sam's, who peered over his shoulder at Castiel. The look on Sam's face said it all. Dean turned Cas in his arms, resting his friend's head against his shoulder.

Cas looked up at him, his eyes searching Dean's face, wide with fear and confusion. His own fingers were pressed against his abdomen, coated in thick, bright red blood, trying to stop to persistent gush of it from his vessel.

“Cas? What --What's ...” Dean whispered, shaking his friend, not understanding. He looked up at Crowley, and snarled, “What did you do to him?”

Crowley raised the gun in his hand and said simply, “I melted an angel blade into angel bullets. Crafty, don't you agree?”

Dean screamed out in rage, holding his friend closer, pressing his hands against Castiel's wounds. Sam wasted no time. Furious, he squeezed the trigger, every bone in his body wanting Crowley dead for doing this to his family. His gun went off with a deafening bang, but it was too late. Crowley disappeared and was instantly forgotten.

Sam tossed his gun aside and spun around, dropping to his knees in front of his brother and friend, panicking hands grasping at Castiel's coat.

Castiel looked from one brother to another, his mouth opening as if he wanted to stay something, but was in too much pain to say much. His face was pale and for the first time, Sam saw his skin look clammy, sweat beading at his temple. What was worst though was the look of innocent confusion, complete and unaltered fear in the familiar blues eyes.

Dean looked up at his brother, eyes alight with anguish. They both knew what was happening, what they were losing, what could not be saved. There was too much blood and no time. But Sam tore off his jacket and pressed it against the gushing wound anyway.

Dean was having flashbacks of holding Sam's weight against him, of pressing his hand against a hot, slippery wound, knowing that there was nothing he could do. The pain was the same, so deep and so overpowering it made him feel like he was the one with four bullet holes in his torso. Dean was drowning.

“Hold on, Cas. Hold on. It's nothing. Just a scratch.” He mumbled, watching blood pour out from the sides of Cas' mouth, pooling out over his blue lips, dark and stark against pale skin. He heard the sound of Castiel choking and whispered, “You'll heal. You'll heal, you stupid angel.”

Sam's chin trembled and he gasped, “Dean, I don't think --”

“He's gonna heal, Sam!” Dean screamed, his face red with rage. But Sam shook his head, not able to tear his gaze away from the tears streaked down his brother's face. Realizing this, Dean looked away, back down to his friend who lay trembling weakly against him, all his strength gone.

Cas maintained Dean's gaze. Dean opened his mouth to utter words of comfort again when Castiel in took a trembling, wheezing breath and with eyes blazing, he pleaded softly, “Help me.”

Dean's face crumpled, his eyes glazed in a thick layer of tears. His trembling lips smiled and he nodded, “O-k-kay, Cas.” He said, his voice breaking, “We're g-gonna get you out of h-here. I got you.”

The way Castiel nodded and grasped at Dean made it obvious to them all he knew perfectly well that he was going to die there on the dirty cement floor.

_Always happy to bleed for the Winchesters._

Sam got to his feet and walked away, pressing his forehead against the wall. The chipped pain and splinters from the wooden wall hurt his face and palms but it was nothing compared to seeing his friend die and his brother breaking. Castiel deserved better than this but Sam couldn't bear to watch. From behind him, he heard Dean stumble over his words, heard him whisper, “I'm not letting go. I'm right here. I got you.”

Castiel raised his hand, but it wavered in the air, thick blood dribbling down his fingers and down his wrist to be absorbed by the sleeves of his coat. Dean settled down onto the floor, holding Castiel tighter, closer. He wiped blood from his mouth with his hand, though it only made it worse. The blood kept coming, accompanied now by wheezes and a horrible whining that Castiel could no longer control.

Dean released his grip from Sam's now blood-soaked jacket, slipping his fingers through Castiel's, gripping them tighter, wishing and begging internally that Cas would grip back. To his horror, the delicate fingers curled a couple times weakly, but then relaxed in his palm. Blue eyes stared at him now, unfocused, blinking slowly.

Dean shook him perhaps too roughly and he growled, “I'm not letting go so you're not either.”

Castiel's eyes slipped back into focus and softly, slippery warm finger tips pressed gently against Dean's knuckles. The hunter held their hands together and held them to his chest.

Castiel was starting to fade. He choked for a moment on a mouthful of blood, then he whispered, “It hurt... so much before...” He took a long, stuttered breath, “It's not so... bad anymore.”

To stop himself from screaming, Dean laughed. “Toldja you would heal.

Sam bit down on his lip hard enough that blood trickled down his chin. He smothered a sob.

Castiel's fingers loosened in Dean's grasp once more. Dean made a horrible sound and he whined, unable to say anything. He was suddenly faced with the realization that he had one last chance to say something to Castiel but he couldn't pick the right words. This was the final time he would say anything to him, he --

Castiel looped one finger through the string around Dean's neck. Dean shifted their hands so the amulet was pressed between their palms. Dean's vision went blurry as he considered all that revolved around that amulet, all the it said about them.

Suddenly Castiel went still. Dean blinked, clearing his vision. Castiel stared at him, his eyes wide and alive. Despite another wave of blood pouring from his mouth, he smiled.

“Dean, it's warm.”

Confused, Dean opened his mouth to question him, but then Castiel shook his head, “The amu.. amulet... It's warm.” He pressed their hands and the amulet to Dean's chest, warm and solid above his heart, “He's here. H-He came for me. My father...”

Sam turned towards Dean and Cas, slowly. He watched Dean lean back, his eyes wide, holding Castiel's hand so tightly the skin over his knuckles was thin. Sam rushed forward and took his position beside Cas. He grasped his other hand, holding it tightly between his two. Sam raised it to his lips and shut his eyes. Across from him, Dean stared at Castiel, stunned as Cas smiled at him, his face relaxed and ... happy.

“I love you, Dean.” He murmured softly, blinking slowly. “Thank you.”

Dean nodded, bowing his head and pressing his lips to Castiel's forehead, saying fiercely against them, “I'll see you soon, Cas.”

Castiel nodded. He looked to Sam and smiled.

“I love you, Sam.”

Sam pressed his lips harder to Castiel's fingers, nodding furiously. “I love you too, Cas. Say hi to your dad for me.”

Smiling, the angel nodded, then with a final squeeze of his hands, fingers went limp and his content blue eyes closed, his body free of pain as it went heavy in the arms of his friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and comments are loved and appreciated.


End file.
